Planet Blog…

Callum Rowell ⋅ 8th October 2023

To launch into the path of fashion sustainability, one of the essential pillars of our existence: Planet. In this pillar the mission is to transform the fashion industry into a beacon of sustainability, one stitch at a time. Consider this alarming fact sourced from (Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns,) by 2050, at this generation’s current pace, it will need the resources of three planets to sustain textile hunger. Below Shows the capabilities of producing a greener and more stylish future for us all.

The circular economy in the fashion industry refers to a sustainable system where materials are endlessly recyclable or biodegradable. Reference from ( Gwilt, A. 2020 ). (A Practical Guide to Sustainable Fashion. London: Bloomsbury publishing ) presents the Ellen MacArthur Foundation which describes the circular economy as not simply reducing negative impacts but representing “a systemic shift that builds long-term resilience, generates business and economic opportunities, and provides environmental and societal benefits” (Ellen MacArthur 2017). This approach follows three core principles; eliminating waste and pollution through thoughtful design, Climate products and materials ( at their highest value ) and to regenerate nature. In the fashion sector, embracing the circular economy contributes to the planet pillar by following these core principles. The Circular economy complements excessive efforts to enhance the environmental friendliness of the fashion industries, making a crucial stride toward a sustainable future.

Sustainability is the ability to maintain a certain level of production without causing any harm to the planet. This means meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Sustainability relates to fashion as production in this industry causes many issues to sustainability; soil, water, forests and animal livestock. From my lecture given by (Katarina Rimarcikova), she displayed an Extraordinary fact which will shock you; there are 2720 liters that go into making one t-shirt, yes only one! Just think how many brands there are in the world and how many t-shirts they produce. If this continues at this ongoing rate fashion may come to an end so we need to put a stop to this by using more sustainable systems such as the circular economy and using more than just a few of the sustainable development goals.

However, Sustainability in relation to fashion can be looked at in a more positive way. Many businesses push towards using sustainable development goals (SDGs). These are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The SDGs are important because they underpin the global responses to some of the biggest environmental and social problems. The fashion brand Patagonia tries to use all 17 SDGs in the photo below and also tries to have a positive Corporate social responsibility (CSR). For example, On Patagonia’s core value page it states: We aspire to be a company where people from all backgrounds, identities and experiences, can be their whole selves and have the power to contribute and lead. This positively correlates with goal 16 which is about, People everywhere should feel safe as they go about their lives whatever their ethnicity, faith or sexual orientation.

Even though sustainability has been around for a long time, New and ongoing science provides new solutions to allow the fashion industry to be more sustainable everyday!